Institutional Research

The Bowling Green Experience designates the University’s new vision for a transformative, learner-centered culture focused on the critical exploration of values and their integration into the lives of students. The Bowling Green Experience encompasses students’ curricular and co-curricular activities and is deliberately structured around three key transitions in college life: the transition into college, the transition into a major field of study, and the transition out of college and into professional life.

The Bowling Green Experience builds on many excellent programs at Bowling Green, including the values initiative (BGeX) and the BG Perspective general education curriculum. The current development stage broadens the BGeXperience (BGeX) term into the Bowling Green Experience, which encompasses all aspects of students’ growth and development at BGSU, while retaining the distinctive emphasis on critical thinking about values.

The University Learning Outcomes provide a framework for BGSU students to think critically about values by using essential skills in the pursuit of knowledge and the application of personal and social responsibility in order to take action. Graduates of BGSU are empowered to put their knowledge to use as informed citizens in the 21^st Century. Hence, a guiding theme of the Bowling Green Experience is values in action.

Some examples of the Bowling Green Experience include

• Students make a successful transition to college life through completion of the University Seminar during the first year.
• Students prepare for the transition into major programs of study through completing general education and other interdisciplinary courses that explore the curriculum.
• Capstone experiences serve as the culmination of focused study within the majors while providing a bridge for students to professional life or advanced study.
• Achievement of the University Learning Outcomes is documented through electronic portfolios.
• All curricular and co-curricular experiences embody the BGSU Core Values of respect for one another, cooperation, intellectual and spiritual growth, creative imaginings, and pride in a job well done.
• Residential learning communities integrate academic learning experiences within the residence life programs.
• Co-curricular activities provide rich and varied opportunities for students to reflect on what personal and social responsibility means to them.
• An expanding number of programs including the Honors Program, Center for Undergraduate Research Scholarship, internships and coops, A.I.M.S., Glenn-Stokes, and McNair Scholars programs encourage members of the BGSU learning community to pursue scholarly exploration and inquiry.
• Service learning activities support opportunities for learning in community contexts to prepare students for active citizenship and professional engagement.